Auburn Hills City Manager Pete Auger to Lead Statewide Municipal Managers Group

Auger was named the 2014 president of the Michigan Local Government Management Association (MLGMA) during the organization’s annual Winter Institute Jan. 28-Jan. 31, 2014 in Battle Creek. He succeeds 2013 MLGMA President Penny Hill, manager of the Village of Kalkaska. MLGMA is the professional association for local government managers from cities, villages, counties and townships throughout Michigan.

“Having been a member of MLGMA for several years now I’ve seen the steady growth in membership and commitment to tackling the many obstacles facing our communities,” Auger said. “To now help lead this organization is an honor, but it’s also a challenge to live up to and continue the exceptional work achieved by my predecessors.”

Auger started his public service in 1980 when he joined the U.S. Army after graduating from Avondale High School. He received his bachelor’s degree of science in criminal justice from Ferris State University and completed his master’s degree in public administration from Oakland University. He also completed the senior executives in state and local government program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and is a credentialed city manager through the International City/County Managers Association (ICMA). Auger is also a graduate of the Leadership Oakland (XIX) Program. He sits on and has served on or chaired many MLGMA and Michigan Municipal League committees. He is a member of the Manufacturing Alliance of Communities, a Greater Detroit Army Advisory Board Member, Oakland County Manager’s Association, Auburn Hills Rotary Club and two Auburn Hills Optimist Clubs. He is the proud father of four daughters.

Auger said a main goal as MLGMA president is to get state leaders to recognize that Michigan’s system for funding municipalities is broken and a new finance structure must be devised. In getting this recognition, communities also need to do a better job telling their stories and about the work they are doing together.

“What most citizens don’t realize is that their local governments are being micromanaged from the state and federal levels and communities must be actively engaged to ensure that the funding that is already being collected gets back to the local governments as it was intended,” Auger said.

“Most of us have collaborated and worked together for decades and represent our regional aspirations for growth while maintaining the sense of place people are attractive to live,”

Other goals include continue growing MLGMA membership and supporting the MLGMA NextGen Committee in its efforts to engage and encourage young, highly motivated people to join the local government manager profession.

In addition to selecting Auger as president, during the MLGMA winter conference in Battle Creek the membership also elected the following to serve new terms on the board: Rockford City Manager Michael Young as president-elect; Lapeer City Manager Dale Kerbyson as vice president; Nathan Geinzer, Farmington Hills assistant city manager; April Lynch, Ferndale city manager; Amy Roddy, Durand city manager; Oliver Turner, Almont village manager.

The Michigan Local Government Management Association is the professional association for local government managers and their assistants from cities, villages, townships and counties throughout Michigan. The association was founded in 1927. For details go to mlgma.org.